Zaca Mesa Syrah Mesa Reserve

This Syrah is a selection of multiple clones from our Mesa block planted in 2004. It displays rich blackberry, cassis, mocha, cedar and our signature sage spice aromas and flavors. It should be enjoyed over the next ten years.

In 1978, Zaca Mesa became the first winery to plant Syrah in Santa Barbara County, and Winemaker Eric Mohseni keeps pushing the quality. This offers notes of blueberry cobbler, rocks and fresh-turned soil, followed by blue fruit flavors, dark chocolate, leather and slight asphalt.

This is soft, smooth and refined, with rich, complex blackberry, cassis, bacon, pepper and smoky cedar flavors. Good as it is, it will develop bottle complexities over the next eight years. Almost as good as Zaca Mesa’s more expensive Syrahs. — S.H.